Epitaxial growth techniques in semiconductor manufacturing are utilized to deposit a crystalline layer on a crystalline substrate, wherein the deposited layer matches a crystallographic configuration of the substrate. Homoepitaxial layers comprise a same composition as the substrate. Heteroepitaxial layers comprise a different composition than the substrate. Size variation between the particles comprising the substrate material and the particles comprising the heteroepitaxial layer induces strain on the heteroepitaxial layer below a critical thickness.